So I was down in Vegas since the beginning of July. Took two satty shots at the main, both went horribly. I believe I may not have won one hand in either one of them. I was up a few dollars playing cash and had a few days left in my trip and decided to play the Caesars 1k Main (1 Million Guarantee) along with two other friends who I swapped a small percentage with. 30k starting stacks, 60 minute levels although a few levels are skipped and a unique ante structure that doesn't introduce antes until I think 400/800 (they start at 100).

So I show up about 15 minutes late and walk over to my table just as the cards are about to be dealt. I didn't even have a chance to break down my stack and make sure it was correct. Blinds started at 50/100 and there were two limps and a raise to 400. I look down hand number one and see... two Aces I grab chips and throw out a raise intending to make it 1050. Player to my left folds and then says "You know thats a 10k chip right?" Im like huh? I examine the chips I threw in and I actually made it 10,050 . I glance over my starting stack and see a creamsicle orange colored 1k chip along with a deeper orange colored 10k chip. WTF. Who uses 10k chips for starters, for 2nds why are they (although clearly distinguishable) derived from the same initial color.

Original raiser says "What??? U didn't know that was 10k????" And jams his whole stack in. I laugh and snap call. He has AcQc and he felts his 25k to me effectively starting me with 55k. The entire table now thinks I angle shot the entire scenario... which I didn't, but its funny as hell.

About 15 of so hand later I open 66 UTG to 250, a player calls and the button 3 bets me to 1025. I call as does the other player.

Flop: A83

Flop is checked around.

Turn: 6

checks to the button who bets 1500. I call and caller calls

River is 2

At this point the third player is a minor concern in my plan to balloon tons of money in as is the PFR. I figure he has an underpair to the Ace and can't call much. Has a slowplayed Ace and can probably bet if checked to or call a bet or has some random hand that likely would need to bluff and couldn't call a bet. I decide the best play is checking here and I do, caller checks and 3 bettor bets 3300, I decide raising probably won't do too much so I call and caller folds. 3 bettor flips AA and I laugh and flash him 66 and wonder how the pot is so small.

Maybe 10 hands later blinds have gone up to 75/150 and I open JJ to 400 from EP. SB calls and Villain from the previous story flats me out of the BB.

Flop: K97r

Checks to me and I check behind

Turn: J

SB checks BB bets 1000, I call and SB folds.

River: T

obv not the best run out now. But BB checks so I safely value bet 1750 and he calls. I flip JJ and he laughs and flashes 99. Two set over sets with the same people, two small pots. Lol wtf is going on here.

I don't remember tons of other hands from day one, but I do know I went to dinner with 140k and bagged up 281k at the end of the day.

We came into Day 2 with just under 400 players and 216 would make the money. I drew a pretty tough table but managed to claw my way into the money. Once this happened I said bc of the prize structure I was going to make considerable gambles when the opportunities presented themselves for an opportunity to chip up. Pretty much I wasnt passing any opportunities. It was 3k for a min cash (216th) but the payouts were so bunched that 37th place was only 5700 . 1st was 340k.

The first interesting hand occurred sometime after the bubble where I am in the CO with J9 and it folds around toe the hijack. He picks his cards up in a very spazzy way to the point where I see what I believe to be an 8. I wasn't really trying to look but I just noticed it bc of how spazzy he squared up his cards. So he opens... so I like have to 3 bet him right? So I do... he jams on me! The jam is roughly 30% of my stack... but like I saw an 8...Im almost sure. So he has to have 88 at best meaning Im flipping for a chance to add 30% to my stack... I wanna make sure though. So I engage in a little table talk and basically ask him if he has 88... Im like u realize u picked ur cards up so high and I saw an 8 right? So thats the best u can have? He doesnt really react... whatever I call. The table looks at me weird as I table J9 and he flips indeed 88. The board runs out AAQxQ and I felt him w Jack high. Weeee.

I have roughly 530k and open the hijack to 24000 (6k/12k blinds) and the aggressive button with a little under 900k 3 bets me. I 4 bet for about 25% of my stack and he jams. Whatever Im not folding here. I call and he flips KK. I am allin for the first time in the tournament and behind. Board runs out QTxxA and I double infuriating my German opponent.

Late in the day I am moved tables and we are down to 5 tables remaining. It is the last level of the day and I have 2.5 million and intended to just cruise to the final day.... it didn't exactly work out that way.

The roller coaster starts when the Hijack opens the 25k/50k blinds to 100k and I 3 bet the button to 240k w 88. Hijack thinks a moment and then jams for 1.3 Million. I tank a while and finally come to the conclussion that this overbet jam instead of a normal sized 4 bet is likely AK/AQ 22-77 or air way more than its 99+. So I call for over 50% of my stack. He flips T9. A 9 flops giving him the hand and knocking me down to 1.1-1.2 mil

A few hands later I open AT utg to 100k and the short stacked player in 3rd shoves for 345k. I call and he flips KQo. The flop and turn run clean but a K hits the river giving him the win and knocking me down to 800kish. There are 4 tables remaining at this point and I am trending downwards. I have about 900k after taking down a pot or 2 uncontested. I am in the BB and it folds around to the button who opens for 100k. SB folds and I look down to see ATs and ship my 900k all in. Button snaps me off and flips AK. I smh and say sick cooler. Ten in the window changes that though and I double up to just shy of 2 million. Allin twice thus far both times as a 30%. Weee run good!

I end the day with just shy of 2 million and we come back for Day 3 with 34 players. I double at some point with JJ vs TT after hijack opens I 3 bet and hijack jams. I call for my tournament life being all in for a 3rd time, but this time as a 80/20. I hold and double.

I cruise the rest of the way to the final 2 tables. I am chip lead with 9 mill and change at one point but lose a hand AA vs 77 where I 3 bet pre out of the BB and he called. I lead a K62 flop and then check a 6 turn but he checks behind. I lead a 7 river for a sizeable bet and he shoves less than a full raise and I reluctantly call.

I got cute on the turn bc of a previous hand where I 3 bet pre, cbet the flop and c/f'ed the turn vs a different player. Meh, couldve just bet again oh well.

We get to the final table and the levels change to 90 minutes. I really don't remember tons of hands but I played a patient solid game. Down to 3 handed Chip lead has 30 million I have 24 Million and short stack has 11 Million and talks of a chop begin. We ICM it and it comes out to 285k for the chip lead 266k for me and 202k for the short stack (actual prizes are 340k,241k,170k) Chip lead says "Give me 290 and u got a deal" Short stack says "Oh you want 5k extra? I want 20k extra then" and walks away. So I guess we are playing.

Short stack makes a comeback mostly off me and some off the chip leader and the new stacks are now 13 Million for me. 22.5 Million for the former short stack and 28.5 million for the chip leader. I open the 300k/600k blinds to 1.2 Mil from the button w JT, SB just jams in 22.5 Million!!. BB wakes up with JJ and felts SB (99). Im facing a 5:1 chip disadvantage now and chip lead hit every flop heads up and I missed everyone. The end came when I jammed 10 bigs with Kx and he had TT and won. Cashed out 241k and after my 12k and 7k swap payments I net about 220k. They ended up getting 2,161 entries, over doubling the guarantee!

Parx story to come in the next post- this got kinda long lol

__________________
"Most of the money you'll win at poker comes not from the brilliance of your own play, but from the ineptitude of your opponents."